I don't think that there should be a definitive set of crimes that should warrant the death penalty. Life is the most precious gift that any person is given, and we should not toy with it. There are, of course, a very few people who are so criminally powerful or insane that society is not safe with them in front of or behind bars. Although it has been corrupted over millenia, the justice system's fundamental purpose is to ensure the safety and security of the general masses, and, although death is a sad and heavy topic, it is a necessary punishment for the filthiest scum of the human race.

I like Жұқтыру's saying, and I'll modify it to say:

Humanity is a right for all except the inhumane.

Edited 1/9/2015 06:32:13

Efficient, and yet immoral for the average American.

There in lies the problem with America, specifically that attitude in their Foreign Policy.

It is immoral to kill a convicted rapist/murderer. It is a crime against humanity to shoot a serial killer.
However, it is moral to not condemn drone strikes. It is moral to any country they want, at anytime with any reason that they damn well pleased simply because they can, all the while preaching Self-Determination and Freedom and Equality. I agree, not all Americans share that attitude. But their government, their elected officials and their representatives act with such impunity that it is evident those who oppose it are clearly a minority.

I agree, not all Americans share that attitude. But their government, their elected officials and their representatives

It is shameful that our nation is full of sheeple, but we are not a direct democracy. The people choose Congress (Senate/House of Rep.) directly yes, but Congress chooses our president. One can not put full blame on the people for every decision made by the government.

Guys, don't blame Myhand for making his point, because the Paris massacre is all about the freedom of thought and of speech we're fortunate enough to enjoy in the countries we live in.

He is entitled to speak his mind, even if he makes fun of what I feel and wrote in the heat of the horrific news in his 1st message,even if he opposes -a bit along the harsh way if I may say- someone who disagrees with him in his 2nd message.

I may think different, his point may even hurt what I believe or feel, I stand for his right to express himself.

Now to make my point clearer, I admit I grieve more for these 12 than for the thousands dying every day all around the world. Simply because they are countrymen and, for us french, a very symbol of democracy.
That doesn't mean I don't "give a f***" about the others, especially when they die by the hands of our armed forces.

One can not put full blame on the people for every decision made by the government.

One would expect Americans to learn by now after nearly a century of mucking up internationally.

I will give you an example. The GOP and George W. Bush entered Iraq as they pleased, how they pleased. They tore a country apart, single-handedly destabilized an already volatile region and introduced an alien concept ( Democracy ) all the while calling upon God and Man to watch upon the righteousness of their actions.

Fast forward to a decade later. The USA is in war debt, their international reputation tarnished ( not that it was pristine to begin with )Iraq lies in shreds of what it was. There is no democracy there is no rule of law there is no effective leadership. IS or whatever those terrorists call themselves now reign free and the whole region is at risk of implosion.

Now I am not condoning the Ba'ath Parthy and Saddam Hussein. He was a textbook dictator who was brutal. However, he was what kept the region at a balance ( Not in the truest sense as he waged war but he kept extremism in check )

Logic dictates that the American People learn a lesson. That they make the leaders who caused such mayhem cower in shame. Leaders who skewered the lives of tens of millions. Leaders who indirectly allowed a dangerous false Jihadist group to rise. But what do the Americans do ? They make their President a lame-duck and allow the Republicans a majority in both houses of Parliament.

That is but one example. Korea, Vietnam, Cuba, South America, Latin America and Africa are all untouched.

I agree Ehrmantraut, but unfortunately, Americans get less intelligent with each generation instead of improving on the past like we should be. Obama is a major problem as is the Republican majority, and we need reform. France at least sees an issue and does the right thing (so far). Innocent people died, the country mourned and I haven't heard of anyone taking advantage of the situation to push their own agenda.

Agreed. The French seem to honor their fallen in a united concise manner. A true example of unity over self-promotion.

@ Julius : That's where you are wrong. These assholes are most likely going to die in an explosive show down with the police, die as martyrs, which not only will make them happy, but will also convey an image of couragous rebels fighting and dying for their cause. This will make them immortal and will help greatly the recruiting of young jihadist.

It would be far better to get them alive and show them for what they really are, dumb fucks who got brain washed and have actually no clue of what islam is. Then let them rot in a tiny cell for the rest of their lives. Killing them is way too glamorous. They are not martyrs, just murderers.

Edited 1/9/2015 11:10:31

edit: ignore this

Edited 1/9/2015 13:11:02

I cannot ignore your post, for I have seen it and will continue to acknowledge that you removed a post that may/may not have had significance. Good day :p

"I cannot ignore your post, for I have seen it and will continue to acknowledge that you removed a post that may/may not have had significance. Good day :p "

Thank you so much for this very informative, enlightening and trustworthy clarification xD

Edited 1/9/2015 13:52:22

Welp, as expected, too late for a trial now.

Okay so I'm the first one to make fun of the french, but for once I'd like to tip my hat to their special forces and to whoever was in charge of dealing with this shit. Faced with a double hostage situation, they did'nt pussy out and led two simultanous assaults, swiftly neutralizing both threats within minutes.

They deserve a round of applause I think.

*starts slow clap*

Edit : Weeeeeel okay, a bunch of hostages were killed during one of the assault. But...you know...eggs...omelets...right?

Edited 1/9/2015 17:06:23

With three of them down (including a 26 years old unarmed city policewoman) I didn't expect our elite squads to show any mercy if the terrorists were not to surrender, especially with hostages involved.

About hostages casualties, we do not know, at the moment, if they were killed before or during the assault.

The toll is bitter, but this threat has been dealt with, thanks to the courage and expertise of our boys. I fear that we're not done with this madness though.

In these dire times, I hope we will stand united, with dignity and solidarity, for it is the only shield a democracy have.

Don't speak so metaphorically. A democracy has the same defences as undemocracy.

Not necessarily. For example, those in the American and French revolutions fought so hard because they had something to fight for: freedom, while the British only fought because an imperial ruler miles away told them to

One can not put full blame on the people for every decision made by the government.

Where is the blame to be put, then? The government isn't some ambiguous body independent of the people, it is, at least in a democracy, composed of the people.

On another note, the downfall of America seems to be the paralysis created by an extremely bipartisan government. I don't think that Americans are stupid. Lazy, ignorant, unwilling to research, perhaps. It is very upsetting to me how concerned some people in the US are with social issues like birth control, same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization when billions around the world are living in oppressed poverty and tens of millions are dying each year of starvation and easily curable diseases.

I say again, Americans aren't stupid or unintelligent, they are just often too concerned with issues in their own lives and don't bother to think of what the world's real problems are.

+1 Thulk's post

Edited 1/9/2015 23:35:34

1st off, im the first one to make fun of the French, but certainly, they deserve respect for what they've done today.

2nd Why should America be the world problem solver? We have our own issues, I don't agree with a lot of what we've done in these last 10 years in America, but, I live here, I support my country, and until they begin to infringe on my rights or begin to infringe on the rights of others, I will continue to support it. I believe we look weaker than we have since the civil war on the world stage, we appear broken economically, and all we make is empty promises. This country is great, but we are not the only great power anymore. The Russians are slowly rebuilding some kind of soviet empire, Europe wants less and less to do with us, and the Chinese and Indians are superpowers in their own rights, poorer than us? yes. but they have the workforce advantage on us and will for a long long time. Our schooling is falling behind, our children learn less and less every year, and watch more and more TV in replacement of schooling. In the next 50 years America is heading for its own reckoning, and call it whatever you want, but we will not be the same country afterwards.

I agree with most of this. In 50-100 years, US will be about as powerful as modernday Argentina.

Also, you forgot the Japanese and Brazil, also powerful.

Edited 1/10/2015 02:16:53

until they begin to infringe on my rights or begin to infringe on the rights of others

The Snowden, Assange revelations was lost on you mate ? Also the little matter of arbitrary drone strikes, invasions, consistent ignorance of Human Rights and so on and so forth.

we appear broken economically, and all we make is empty promises

You have Bankers and the MIC's ( Military Industrial Complex's ) to blame. Issues consistently ignored by Americans if I may add.

False promises are in the rhetoric of any powerful nation. The problem here is America, unlike the Colonialists before them who enslaved for their national pride and proudly proclaimed so, claims they represent all that is benevolent and good. People believing that facade is the ultimate problem.

The Snowden and Assange cases were not lost upon me, I believe in free speech and freedom of the press. However, I also believe in the protection of national interests. Whats lost on you is that you are not in America, we tend to know a bit more about what happening in our own country than the people outside of it. Do I agree with the NSA's spying? Hell no, were they overstepping their bounds as a monitoring agency? Yes. BUT, they were doing what they felt was necessary to secure the United States from foreign threats. It is not the MIC's and Bakers we must blame for our issues, it is ourselves, we had our chances to stop this, but instead Obama was elected for a second term, don't get me wrong, he is the President and I respect him, but his policy is awful, and pull the Bush card if you like, at least when he drew a red line, he backed it up. We are defenders of human rights whether we want to be or not and we allow atrocities in the nations we call our "friends" "allies" "global partners". False Promises are the rhetoric of a weak nation attempting to retain or regain power. (Example, though not a nations the League of Nations, weak, but threw promises around to hold on the the Ruhr, and other areas, promised protection to the nations of Eastern Europe, then let Germany take them all, proving their weakness) I am merely waiting for something big enough that will prove how weak we have become. I will fight to preserve this nation if need be, whether it be run for office, or be it they hand me an M16 and a Beretta and point me at bad guys. All empires have fallen, but we are not an Empire, America is an ideal, it stands for much more than 50 states and borders. It stands for freedom, equality, justice, and, in this day and age, something more important. Power.